Ferguson Media (Pty) Ltd ("Ferguson Media," "we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard information when you visit fergusonmedia.co.za and any related services, platforms, or content we operate. It is governed by the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA) and applicable South African law. Please read this policy carefully. By using our platform, you accept its terms.
Who We Are
Ferguson Media (Pty) Ltd is a South African media-technology company registered under the Companies Act 71 of 2008. Our registered address is 35 Ferguson Road, Illovo, Sandton, Johannesburg, 2196.
We are a youth-driven media and technology company dedicated to transforming South Africa's creative economy through innovation, storytelling, and data-driven communication. Our three core pillars — the Good News Portal, Community Media Hub, and Creative Hub — connect organisations and communities through credible, impact-focused content.
As the Responsible Party under POPIA, Ferguson Media is responsible for the processing of all personal information collected through this website and related services.
Information We Collect
We collect personal information in two ways: information you provide to us directly, and information collected automatically when you use our platform.
Information you provide:
- Name, email address, and phone number when you contact us via our contact form or email
- Organisation name, job title, and enquiry details when you submit a partnership or service request
- Story submissions, including your name, contact details, and the details of any story you submit for consideration
- Communications you send us, including feedback and correspondence
Information collected automatically:
- IP address and approximate geographic location (country/city level)
- Browser type, operating system, and device information
- Pages visited, time spent on pages, and links clicked
- Referring URLs and search terms used to find our site
- Cookie and session data (see Section 5)
We do not collect sensitive personal information (such as race, religion, health data, or financial account details) unless you explicitly provide it in a story submission or written communication, and only where strictly necessary.
How We Use Your Information
We process personal information only for lawful, specific purposes. The legal bases for processing under POPIA include your consent, the performance of a contract, compliance with a legal obligation, or our legitimate interests where these do not override your rights.
| Purpose | Legal Basis |
|---|---|
| Responding to contact form enquiries and correspondence | Consent / Legitimate interest |
| Processing partnership and service enquiries | Pre-contractual / Contractual necessity |
| Publishing submitted stories (with your permission) | Consent |
| Improving website performance and user experience | Legitimate interest |
| Analytics and audience measurement | Legitimate interest / Consent |
| Complying with legal obligations | Legal obligation |
| Sending updates or newsletters (where opted in) | Consent |
We will not use your personal information for purposes other than those listed above without first obtaining your consent, unless required by law.
Sharing Your Information
Ferguson Media does not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes. We may share your information only in the following limited circumstances:
- Service providers: We work with third-party service providers who assist us in operating our website and delivering our services (such as email delivery, web hosting, and analytics). These operators process data on our behalf under strict confidentiality obligations.
- Content management platforms: Story content and related data may be stored and managed via Contentful or similar CMS platforms as part of our publishing workflow.
- Legal requirements: We may disclose your information where required by law, court order, or to protect the rights and safety of Ferguson Media, its staff, or the public.
- Business transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your personal information may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to equivalent privacy protections.
Cross-border transfers: Where personal information is transferred outside South Africa, we ensure that such transfers comply with POPIA, including that appropriate safeguards or adequate levels of protection are in place in the recipient country or organisation.
All third parties with whom we share personal data are required to maintain appropriate security standards and to use the data only for the purpose for which it was shared.
Cookies & Tracking Technologies
Our website uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience and collect analytics data. Cookies are small text files stored on your device.
Types of cookies we use:
- Essential cookies: Necessary for basic site functionality. These cannot be disabled without affecting how the site works.
- Analytics cookies: Used to understand how visitors interact with our site. Data collected is aggregated and anonymised where possible.
- Preference cookies: Remember settings you have selected to personalise your experience.
You can control and delete cookies through your browser settings at any time. Disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of the site. By continuing to use our site after accepting via our cookie banner, you consent to our use of non-essential cookies.
Data Retention
We retain personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law.
- Contact and enquiry records are retained for up to 3 years after the last interaction.
- Partnership and client records are retained for the duration of the relationship and for up to 7 years thereafter, in compliance with financial record-keeping obligations.
- Published story content, including author names and interview-sourced personal information, is retained indefinitely as part of our editorial archive, consistent with journalistic standards.
- Analytics data is retained in aggregated, anonymised form indefinitely; individual-level data is retained for no longer than 26 months.
When personal information is no longer required, we delete or anonymise it securely.
Your Rights Under POPIA
As a data subject under POPIA, you have the following rights regarding your personal information held by Ferguson Media:
- Right of access: You may request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
- Right to correction: You may request that inaccurate, incomplete, or outdated information be corrected.
- Right to deletion: You may request that we delete your personal information, subject to any legal obligations requiring retention.
- Right to object: You may object to the processing of your personal information for direct marketing purposes at any time.
- Right to withdraw consent: Where processing is based on your consent, you may withdraw that consent at any time. This does not affect the lawfulness of processing before withdrawal.
- Right to lodge a complaint: You have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa if you believe your rights have been violated.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact our Information Officer at info@fergusonmedia.co.za or call 011 084 1100. We will respond within 30 days.
Security
Ferguson Media implements appropriate technical and organisational security measures to protect your personal information against unauthorised access, loss, alteration, or disclosure. These include:
- SSL/TLS encryption for data transmitted between your browser and our servers
- Access controls limiting personal data access to authorised staff only
- Regular review of data handling practices and security procedures
- Use of reputable, security-certified third-party service providers
While we take all reasonable steps to protect your information, no method of internet transmission or electronic storage is completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security but are committed to prompt disclosure and remediation in the event of a data breach, in accordance with POPIA requirements.
Third-Party Links
Our website contains links to third-party websites, social media platforms, partner organisations, and media outlets. These links are provided for your convenience and information only.
Ferguson Media has no control over the content or privacy practices of third-party sites. We are not responsible for the privacy policies or practices of any external website. We encourage you to review the privacy policy of any site you visit through a link on our platform.
Children's Privacy
Our website and services are not directed at children under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from minors. If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a person under 18, please contact us immediately and we will take steps to delete that information promptly.
Where our editorial content features young people — for example, youth excellence stories — we ensure all appropriate consents are obtained from the individual and/or their parent or guardian before publication.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or operational needs. The date at the top of this page indicates when the policy was last revised.
Where changes are material, we will take reasonable steps to notify you — for example, by posting a prominent notice on our website. Continued use of our platform after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.
We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.
Contact & Complaints
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or the way we handle your personal information, please contact our Information Officer:
- Ferguson Media (Pty) Ltd — Information Officer
- 35 Ferguson Road, Illovo, Sandton, Johannesburg, 2196
- Email: info@fergusonmedia.co.za
- Phone: 011 084 1100
Our PAIA (Promotion of Access to Information Act) manual is available on request or via our website.
If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa:
- Website: www.inforegulator.org.za
- Email: inforeg@justice.gov.za
- Address: JD House, 27 Stiemens Street, Braamfontein, Johannesburg, 2001